"It's such a beautiful property,'' Judy said beforehand, "very family orientated, everyone feels a part of the house.''

The interest was mainly local, Lew said, and for good reason.

"Those properties in prime positions have the essential fundamentals in place and locals know how rare properties like this are.

"People like the feel of the house, the scale of it.

"It's such a liveable home. North aspect, privacy, views.

"The plan of the house is very desirable. The pool integrated in the deck - so close to the living areas. That integration does make it very liveable.''

The auction was held in the alfresco area beside the pool, with the poinciana blossoms just coming out in the background.

Bidding started at $1.2m and got to $1.575m.

After further negotiations the property sold at $1.750m.

A NEW START

THE three-bedroom house with pool at 3 Robin Pl, Forest Glen, sold at auction for $606,000 with Matt O'Grady of Ray White Sippy Downs.

Sippy Downs principal Michael Stack was the auctioneer and held an authority to bid as well as the eventual buyers, a young couple who were renting in Buderim.

They have moved up from New South Wales to the Sunshine Coast and wanted a three-bedroom home to start a family.

TEARS OF HAPPINESS

THE new owner of 36 Hinkler Pde, Maroochydore, was crying with happiness after buying the seven-bedroom, three-bathroom house on on 599sq m at auction on Saturday.

Marketing agent Shannon Beavis of Ray White Maroochydore said the buyer, from the Sunshine Coast, always wanted to live at Cotton Tree and took advantage of the chance to have their mother live downstairs.

With five registered bidders the property sold for $1.10m after a strong opening of $900,000 that knocked the majority of opponents out in one stroke.

"It was an interesting auction,'' Shannon said. "There was a lot of interest from buyers you don't normally get because of the type of building it was, with this level of self-contained living and rental already set up.

"It was a different range. The eventual buyers were the only ones looking at being owner-occupiers.''